Capping milk bottles and the like



SepLZZ, 1931; M. PATTERSON ET AL Patented Sept. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOREHEAD PATTERSON, OF NEW YORK, AND EUGENE F. MABRESFORD, OF MERRICK, NEW YORK, ABSIGNOBS TO THE LAKEWEST CORPORATION, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK OAPPING MILK BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Application filed January 7, 1930. Serial No. 418,108.

This invention relates to improvements in bottle caps of the type which extend over the bead of a bottle to protect it from contamination, its principal object being to produce an inexpensive cap of this type which can be cheaply made of flexible sheet commercial material and applied to the bottle without the application of heat or other conditioning operations being necessary, although such operations may be employed in addition for extra strength.

Another important object is to provide a skirted closure cap in which the skirt or bead protecting portion is so folded under the bead and secured without the use of adhesives or special impregnating materials, that it grips the bead and thereby resists displacement or removal, and when forcibly removed loosens and stretches the skirt to warn the consumer that the bottle has already been opened.

An advantage resulting from the present cap is that since it is of'flexible paper, or like material, it makes possible supplying the material in rolls which may be cut as used, avoiding the storing and feeding of disks of this size.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain methods and constructions which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which like characters ofreference indicate the same or like parts:

Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in cross-section of a finished closure constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a cap blank used in carrving out the invention; and

Figs. 3 to 6 are sectional elevations showing the various steps used in applying the improved cap to a bottle.

i0 material having a skirt extending substantially below the bead, forcing the skirt inwardly against the bottle near the junction of the bead and neck, and folding the lower portion of the skirt back against the remalnder of the cap. The best method employed further consists in sharpl creasing the folded edge. Preferably, t e lower portion of the skirt is folded back over the mouth of the bottle and a plug disk is then pushed into the mouth of the bottle to se cure the-skirt edge between the mouth closing portion of said cap and disk. The clo-. sure construction emp oyed in carrying the invention into efiect, comprises a cap of flexible material having a mouth closing portion and a skirt, the edge portion of which is folded back against the mouth closing portion of the cap, and the doubled intermediate portion of which is folded around and under the bead, and preferably this folded portion is sharply creased under said bead. In the best construction contemplated, the skirt is pleated, and this pleated skirt is sharply creased under the bead, whereby a part of each pleated fold firmly secures a part of the adjacent pleat in position. The above steps and means referred to may be widely varied within the scope of the claims, for the particular steps and means selected to illustrate the invention represent but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the precise details shown and described.

Referring now to the drawings: The blank for the improved cap consists of a circular disk 10 of ordinary wax-paper, or similar commercial material, which in a suitable die is laid into radial or other suitable pleats,

as shown in Fig. 2. To avoid storage of,

of the bottle with the neck thereof. Then the skirt 11 is turned back and against ie remainder of the cap and over the bead against the mouth closing portion of said cap.

The wire 12 is then removed and the skirt 11 pressed closely around the neck of the bottle, as shown in Fig. 5, thereby producing a shar ly creased edge 14 adjacent the bottom 0 the lip 13. Since the crease 14 runs at an angle to the creases of the pleats (a right angle in the case of radial pleats), this edge is held firmly gripping the underside of the bead by the pleats of the cover, but may be reinforced, i desired, by leaving the retaining wire 12 in place after bending up the skirt, or by applying aste or cement to the inside of the fold a ter removing the wire, or by placing a band around the outside of the skirt. A art of the sharply creased fold of each p eat, it will be seen, grips a part of the fold of the ad'acent pleat, thus securing the lower edge 0 each pleat in the relation to the other pleats in which it was held by the flexible wrapping member. Cement or aste may also be aplied to the bottom e ge 15 of the skirt beore it is pressed upon the hood over the mouth of the bottle to give extra strength. In case of waxed, paraflined, or lacquered pager, heat may be applied.

fter the fold shown in Fig. 5 is completed, the pasteboard plug disk 16 is pressed into the recess 17 of the bottle mouth, as shown in Fig. 6, securing the edge of the cap uetween the mouth closing portion thereof and the disk, thereby completing the sealing of the bottle. The act of forcing down the disk 16 pulls the folded edge 14 of the skirt up on the bead of the bottle, as shown in dotted lines, thereby spreading the folded edge and making a tight fit on thebead. Thus, the new cap is sealed at two places when first applied and is tamper proof, as it cannot be r placed without appearing loose and stretched after being once removed,

though of course it can still be used as a cover for the bottle.

What is claimed is: 1 The method of closing bottles having laterally projecting beads, which consists in applying to the bottle mouth a cap of flexible material having a skirt extending substantially below the bead, forcing the skirt inwardly against the bottle near the junction of the bead and neck, and folding the lower portion of the skirt back against the remainder of the cap whereby the edge portion of the skirt may be secured in the bottle mouth by a plug disk.

2. The method of closing bottles having laterally projecting beads, which consists in applying to the bottle mouth a cap of flexible material having a skirt extending substantially below the bead, forcing the skirt inwardly against the bottle near the junction of the bead and neck, folding the lower portion of the skirt back against the remainder of the cap whereby the edge portion of the skirt may be secured in the bottle month by adplug disk, and sharply creasing the folded e e.

2%. The method of closing bottles having laterall projecting beads, which consists in app ying to the bottle mouth a cap of flexible material having a skirt extending substantially below the bead, forcing the skirt inwardly against the bottle near the junction of the bead and neck, folding the lower portion of the skirt back against the remainder of the cap and over the mouth of the bottle, and then pushing a plug disk into the mouth of said bottle to secure the skirt edge between the mouth closing portion of said cap and the disk.

4. The method of closing bottles having laterally projecting beads, which consists in applying to the bottle mouth a cap of flexible material having a skirt extending substantially below the beam-wrapping a flexible member about said skirt to force it inwardly against the bottle near the junction of the bead and neck, and folding the lower portion of the skirt back against the remainder of the cap whereby the edge portion of the skirt may be secured in the bottle mouth by a plug disk.

5. The method of closing bottles having laterally projecting beads which consists in applying to the bottle mouth a cap of flexible material having a skirt extending substantially below the bead, wrapping a flexible member about said skirt-to force it inwardly against the bottle near the junction of the bead and neck, folding the lower portion of the skirt back against the remainder of the cap, and thereafter removing said flexible member and securing the skirt edge in the mouth of the bottle.

6. A closure for bottles having laterally projecting-beads, comprising a cap of flexible material having a mouth closing portion and a skirt, the edge portion of which is folded back against the mouth closing portion of the cap, whereby the skirt edge may be secured in the bottle mouth by a plug disk, and the doubled intermediateportion of which is folded around and under the bead.

7. A. closure for bottles having laterally projectin beads, comprising a cap of flexible material having a skirt extending around and under the bead in close conformity thereto, said skirt having a sharp annular crease under said bead and having its marginalportion turned back and up against the material of the cap whereby the marginal portion of the skirt ma be secured in the bottle mouth by a plug disk.

8. A closure for bottles having laterally projecting beads, comprising a cap of flexible material having a skirt extending around and under the bead in close conformity thereto, said skirt having a sharp annular crease under said bead and having its marginal portion turned back and up against the material of the cap whereby the marginal portion of the skirt may-be secured in the bottle mouth by a plug disk, and means for securing the creased portion of the skirt against the underside of the lip.

9. A closure for bottles having laterally projecting beads, comprising a cap of flexible material aving a mouth closing portion and a pleated skirt, the edge portion of which is folded back against the mouth closing portion of the cap, whereby the skirt edge ma be secured in the bottle mouth by a plug dis and the doubled intermediate portion 8: ghich is folded around and under the 10. A closure for bottles having laterally projecting beads, comprising a cap of flexible material having a pleated skirt, which extends around and under said bead and which is sharply creased under said bead and turned back against the material of the cap, whereby the skirt may be secured in the bottle mouth by a plug disk.

11. A closure for bottles having laterally projecting beads, comprising a cap of flexible material having a mouth entering depression and a skirt extending around and under the bead in close conformity thereto, said skirt. having a sha annular crease under said bead and having its marginal portion turned back and up against the material of the cap, and a plug disk in said depressed portion securing saidzedge against the-cap.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

MOREHEAD PATTERSON. EUGENE F. MARRESFORD. 

